Method to detect contamination with antibiotic metabolites and method to reduce or avoid development of antibiotic resistance

A method to detect an antibiotic metabolite in the environment is provided, comprising assaying a sample from the environment for the metabolite. Further provided is a method to reduce or prevent the development of antibiotic resistance, the method comprising assaying a sample from a food or beverage product, or a sample from the environment, for the presence of one or more antibiotic or pharmaceutical metabolites, wherein when the assay indicates presence of the one or more metabolites, the method further comprises one or more of the following steps: removing or degrading the metabolite from the environment or the product source or environment, implementing metabolite capture system, and preventing entry of the metabolite into the environment or the product. Further provided is a method to validate an antibiotic or pharmaceutical metabolite capture system.